Happy Power Poppy Friday!

Hi there and Happy Friday to you!  I hope you have been doing well.  Today I wanted to try to get a card done for Christine's awesome April Power & Spark Challenge!  It's a goodie and there are a couple of days left to play along...you can check out all of the detail here.  I wasn't brave enough to go the 3 random color route, so I went with 3 colors in the blue green color family for my cards....yes, cards.  I was stuck on threes so I decide to make 3 mini cards to use my three markers on....lemme show you!  :)

I used an assortment of images and sentiments from the Bloomin' Wonderful, Countryside Bouquet Deluxe, Dynamic Duos: Peonies and Tulips, Farmer's Market, Folk Heart, and Geraniums Take Two sets.

All were stamped with Memento's Rich Cocoa ink on a piece of gingham paper from lilybeedesign's "Double Dutch" 6x6 paper pad and layered with white, brown, and cream card stocks to make a mini card of approximately 2.75" square.  I sponged on Papertrey Ink's Vintage Cream, Chamomile, and Chai inks to age my papers a bit.

I used the same three Copic markers for all three cards-BG13, BG53, and BG93 .  I also used a Sakura clear glaze pen and my Wink of Stella clear brush pen to add some shimmer and shine.  I had some 3" cream envelopes so I stamped images on them to coordinate with the cards....here is a little group photo....

I love tucking in a little card with gifts, don't you?  These were all simple layers with minimal stamping and coloring....so they are super quick to make!  I think these will be accompanied by simple kraft gift bags and pretty tissue paper....just a simple, sweet, no frills gift presentation.

Well, that is all for my project today but several of my Bloomie sisters have created lots of lovelies for your Friday inspiration.  Make sure you leave them a little blog love while you are there and then if you haven't played along in April's Power & Spark Challenge yet, you still have a day or two to get it in....so get crackin'!  :)  Also, if you haven't already....make sure you check out the two newest digital images released this week on the Power Poppy blog....you will l-o-v-e them!  :) I am so glad you could pop in for a visit....hope you can stop by again soon and until then, take care!

~Katie

Allison Cope 

Christine Okken 

Cindy Lawrence    
Julie Koerber 
Kathy Jones 
Katie Sims <------You are here

Happy Power Poppy Friday!

Hi there and Happy Friday to you!  Hope all has been well with you.  I have a quick post for today's Power Poppy Friday....this card features the stamp set Go Wild for the image and also the stamp set Geraniums Take Two for the sentiment.  There's a story about what inspired me to use this image for today's card.  We just recently started participating in a local farm's CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program.  Each week we get to pick up an assortment of organic produce...we are already enjoying our bounty and this week one of the offerings was organic strawberries...they are so pretty and petite and they actually reminded me of this image with its wee berries in the arrangement....so there you have it....it was completely inspired by my love of strawberries....:)

I stamped the image and sentiment on to Papertrey Ink's Rustic White card stock using Memento's Tuxedo Black ink.  I die cut the image using a Spellbinders' Classic Circle Large die set circle using the "Out of the Box" technique to allow that little rosebud and leaf to extend past the edge.  There is an excellent tutorial for this on Splitcoast Stampers site here.  Next, I colored the image with Copics, sponged on some Ranger Distress Ink in Iced Spruce and added gold leafing around the edge with my Krylon 18KT Gold Leafing pen.  A little bit of shimmer on the blooms and berries with my Wink of Stella Clear Brush pen finished off my image.

Next, I die cut my card base using a Marianne Design die set, Petra's Square Frames and some Ocean Tides card stock from Papertrey Ink.  I used a square die from Spellbinder's Classic Squares Large set to die cut a bit of patterned paper from a My Mind's Eye's 6x6 paper pad, layered it with a larger trimmed square, stitched them together and adhered them to my card base.  Then, I adhered my image circle and added a couple of threaded buttons.

I can never get enough of Marcella's beautiful florals!  All of that beautiful detail packed in to each image is truly remarkable.  If you haven't taken a stroll through the Power Poppy store to see first hand all of Marcella's illustrations, you really should....what a sight to behold!  :)

So that is all for my card today but some of my incredibly talented Bloomie sisters have a few creations for your Friday inspiration....so go to take a peek and make sure you leave a little blog love while you are there.  I am so glad you could stop by today.  I hope you have a great weekend, and until next time, take care.

Cindy Lawrence     
Katie Sims <------You are here 
Tosha Leyendekker

~Katie

Copics used:R05, R20, R22, R24, R27, R29, YG01, YG61, YG63, YG67, G29, G40, G46, E40, E41, E42, E44, YR21, YR30, YR31, Y17, Y26

A Guest Post, A Birthday, AND a new Power & Spark Challenge, Oh YAY!

Hi there and a very happy Friday to you, dear friend!  I hope you have been doing well and I'm so glad you could pop in today....I have lots of news to share with you!  For today's post, I am participating in Becky Fleck's PageMaps April card sketch event.  This is a first for me and I am so honored to get to be a part of this....if you haven't discovered PageMaps yet, let me tell you....you really should check this site out....more creative page and card sketches than you can shake a stick at!  (Southern to English translation = a whole bunch of sketches!! ;) )  Here is a link to the PageMaps blog too!  So below is the sketch that I was given and as you will be able to see....I stayed very true to the sketch design....

When I saw all of those little bits I couldn't help but think of lots of little tags, so that is how I started and then I added the circles highlighting different blooms from Marcella's incredibly gorgeous Daffodils stamp set.  

I used an embossing folder to give some texture to the yellow background and then die cut my tags from some patterned papers out of Simple Stories' SN@P color vibe 6x6 paper pad.  I did a little stitching around where I wanted my daffodil blooms to go and also some zigzag at the seam.  Next I stamped a faint image of the same stamp and then my sentiment from one of the newest stamp sets, Bloomin' Wonderful.  Here is a little close up of Marcella's gorgeous daffodils.  I know she made many happy hearts when she created this lovely set.....

I am always in awe of how much detail Marcella can pack in to a single bloom...simply amazing!  And speaking of amazing.....can you believe that  Marcella's Power Poppy is turning 2?!  

Isn't she the cutest thing?!  Yes, it has been two years since this all of this blooming goodness started!  In honor of the big day, Marcella has planned a special sale AND a special digital image!  How about this for a darling birthday image?  On top of everything else, she can bake too!  ;)  Just take a lookie at these sweet words from the Bloom Whisperer, herself.......

Power Poppy is turning 2. WOOHOO! We want to THANK YOU, our sweet and encouraging peeps around the world, for helping us spread the botanical abundance and zest for life. Your creativity, love, and generosity of spirit is SO STRONG! We are thrilled to kick off another year of flowering and empowering together. 

From Friday through Monday we're offering 20% OFF all Stamps, Digital and Clear. Use discount code: MARCELLA at checkout to receive the special savings. PLUS, for four days only we have a special birthday digi for only TWO BUCKS! Visit Power Poppy to learn more.

AND, if that were not enough, its also time for a new Power & Spark Challenge.  This one is hosted by the incredibly talented and even sweeter Christine Okken.  

This awesome challenge a few different levels to it...you get to choose just how creative and brave you want to be.....intrigued?  Well, make sure you check this one out over on the Power Poppy blog  :)  

Whew!  As you can see.....lots going on at Bloom Central!  I am so glad you stopped by today.  Many of my Bloomie sisters have created all sorts of beautiful cards in celebration of all of these events so make sure you check them all out and leave a little blog love while you are there.  I hope you have a wonderfully relaxing weekend and manage a little crafty time too!  Until next time, take care!  :)

Allison Cope 

Christine Okken 

Cindy Lawrence    
Julie Koerber 
Kathy Jones 
Katie Sims <------You are here
Leslie Miller 
Stacy Morgan 
Tosha Leyendekker
Cheryl Scrivens
and Marcella Hawley

~Katie

Supplies not listed above:  Ink-  Memento's Tuxedo Black and Papertrey Ink's Classic Kraft, Chamomile, and Chai inks:  Paper-Rustic White and Lemon Tart card stocks from Papertrey Ink; Other- Embossing folder from Lifestyle Crafts, tag dies from Papertrey Ink,  3/8" corner rounder from We R Memory Keepers and these Copic colors:  Y11, Y13, Y15, Y18, YR18, YR65, YR68, E18, and E35.